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118219-wildstar-q3-earnings
Content ---- ---- ---- Which is why a lot of us old timers are playing WS now :P Such sad times they would shut down such an awesome game (which you can see by the money they earn from the korean version) | |} ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- I think the broader issue isn't Wildstar, but a general distrust of NCSoft, Carbine's parent company. Since we don't know what NCSoft expects or what they intend to do in the long run, speculation runs wild and we look at past trends that don't look positive. You're right, it could be perfectly fine and NCSoft really knows what they're doing as far as long-term investment goes. Most of us aren't of that opinion, though, just from their past history. I'm on record saying that I will pre-pay for any length of sub time that they guarantee F2P is off the table, whether that's three months or a year. I'm also on record saying that I will cut my cable the second it goes F2P. Right now, I'm month-by-month due to the uncertainty of their parent company. And a lot of people wouldn't be worried if Wildstar was a CCP-esque designer/publisher that can make that kind of long term investment. Their fate is in NCSoft's hands, and their reputation isn't the best for measured, long-term investment in quality gaming products. It's for quick cash grabs and hatchet-style marketing. It's not to say it's true or will happen that way, but most of us were leery of NCSoft's name before we picked the game up and we wonder what's on NCSoft's table sometimes. | |} ---- ---- ---- I wouldn't attribute the 60 termination notices to poor market performance. It's very common to reduce the size of a dev team after launch (particularly one as large as 260 people). You're right though, stability is valuable, but it's unrealistic to expect stability quarter to quarter immediately after a launch. If the numbers stabilize next quarter it will be a much better indicator, and hopefully a lower box price does a body good. Bring on the free trials! | |} ---- If Wildstar can maintain that level of revenue that would be good. The Q2 numbers reflected box sales and I seem to remember Gaffney commenting that Deluxe Edition sales were significantly better than they expected. The Q3 numbers should be mostly subscription and CREDD revenue. Q4 numbers are going to depend heavily on how they record revenue. Do they count it all when purchased or spread it over each month used? If the former, I wouldn't be surprised to see Q4 take another large nosedive. If it does that, hopefully NCSoft gives Wildstar time to recover. Carbine was hit by a double reduction. One was the normal reduction of extra staff used to produce the large amount of launch content. The other was an NCSoft wide restructuring. No clue how ArenaNet dodged that bullet. | |} ---- ---- ---- Well they met and exceeded their budget which is a good sign so short term at least they should be safe. That being said with revenue coming from 3 sources, software sales, subs and CREDD and the fact CREDD sales came available right at the end of Q2 the numbers may have been inflated by CREDD. When CREDD was first introduced on the populated servers there was a lot of supply so prices were very low in the 4-6 platinum range on several populated servers, now as supply appears to be drying up credd prices have gone higher. I don't think that is marketing correction, CREDD needs to actually be at 40P to compete against most $ for gold sites. I am hopeful they will meet their Q4 budget which like Q3 was 9billion. Which should mean game lives into next year. Factors that were working in wildstars favour are: Credd system with initial over adoption (I bet a lot of people who bought credd dont play anymore they just wanted a legit gold injection) Favorable trends in USD to SKW exchange rate I think other than some whales long term credd purchases with money will be less people as most people buying these are already subs. While they are adding gold sinks to make people need the gold... But without them tying up their costs to titles, you just have to assume with Wildstar meeting 2014 budget they should be happy... unless the guys from Wildstar were sandbagging. So overall numbers are good (for the moment), I would expect trend to continue down unless something changes bringing in new players/revenue (I notice box price is on sale from NCsoft), I expect game to live into 2015. They projected 9 and 9 for Q3 and Q4. | |} ---- They need to report all revenue related to the game be it box sales, digital sales, subs, CREDD... they do not break down the revenue stream so you dont know how much is which. I honestly think there was still a lot of CREDD in Q3 since it only came out end of Q2. | |} ---- ---- Yeah people into housing dont tend to do much of the gold making stuff except for perhaps dailies (and even then not always) a lot of peopel are not lvl 50 who are in love with housing. | |} ---- Heh, funny to think that, after the hardcore v casual debate raged for the entire length of the game, that after all the jawing about who would hurt the game more, people who wanted 40 man raiding or more solo content, the people who probably do the most financially for the game aren't either, they're people addicted to their houses that aren't soloing or raiding. | |} ---- Most of my serious housing addicts also raid. Just saying. Actually, I find that people that enjoy housing the most tend to be happiest with all aspects of the game. They always have something to do and a reason to run content and level alts - how else are you going to get the X number of Y and Z stuff you need to make that super cool ______? As for the layoffs - prior to them, they had a staff of over 271 for this game. That seems really really huge for a game that has been released. I don't think it's unreasonable they were hit hardest - they didn't need the ramp up staff anymore. Does it suck? Absolutely (my hubby was just laid off from his job, so I totally feel for all those affected). It's not world ending, though. | |} ---- ---- ---- There was a article saying that NCSoft still see potential with Carbine/WildStar. So there's no plan in the near future for NCSoft to shut them down. | |} ---- No one can answer that question except for NCsoft. But they have beaten the publically published budget so... it should be good for awhile. If you are meeting your budgets or exceeding in then everything is good in your bosses books normally, that being said maybe the costs were seen as too high and the recent layoffs from a few months ago. That being said there may be internal numbers they have to meet as well, but if the game is beating your published expectations I think it should be safe... if they get too aggressive with budget next year thats a different matter. So short term picture good, Q4 picture ???, long term picture ???. But yeah I would expect the game to be alive and kicking in January 2015. Just hope the people who post articles on massively/joystiq don't quote this and say "financial expert"... I am no "financial expert" just someone who has had financial responsibility for big projects and seen internal/external responses to meeting/not-meeting targets. | |} ---- ---- ----